Method and apparatus for treating the skin



g- 6, 1940- w. H. DE s'r. CYR 2.210,618

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING THE SKIN Filed Sept. 15, 1939 INVENTORATTORNEYS Aug 6, 194% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR TREATING THE SKIN 5 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for treating the skinand has for its primary object the provision of such a method andapparatus which will overcome skin dryness, refine the texture, reducethe skin lines, remove excess matter from the pores, and invigorate theskin by application of liquefied wax thereto with a minimum ofdiscomfort to the patient from the heat.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a method andapparatus for so treating the skin with a maximum of efliciency.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor treating the skin with a low melting normally solid medicament andparticularly with a medicament which is normally solid at temperaturesabove body temperature.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent as the samebecomes better understood from an examination of the specification andclaims in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the heating apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary section taken at the line 2-2of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at the line 3-3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the face and neck applicator cloth used inconjunction with the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the applicator cloth for the back of thehand for use in conjunction with the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

The beneficial effects of wax in a liquid form upon the skin have longbeen known. By its application the skin is cleansed and softened andlines therein are removed. According to the practices heretoforefollowed, however, there have been certain difliculties attendant uponthe application of wax to the skin. To produce the proper results, thewax must be in the liquid form. Since ordinary parafiin wax melts at atemperature between 128 and 140 F. and sometimes even higher, itsapplication in molten form causes much discomfort to the patient. It isalso diflicult to apply the wax to the skin in liquid form and obtain auniform coating or application thereof. Moreover, it is desirable tomaintain the liquid wax in contact with the skin for a considerableperiod of time. This, in turn, also offers many difliculties.

By means of my invention, these and other difficulties have beenobviated. I have developed a method and apparatus by which it ispossible to bring the wax or other medicament in liquid form into'uniform contact with the skin and to maintain the same in such contactfor a substantial period of time.

In the particular embodiment of my invention described herein andreferring to the drawing, reference character I generally designates aheating pad for the face and neck. This pad I is shaped to fit the faceby dart stitching as at 2. It has openings as at 3 and 4 for the eyes,and as at 5 for the mouth. The pad I is also provided with a suitablenose piece 6 affording a recess on its under side to fit the nose of thepatient and provided with an opening 1 so that the patient may inhaleand exhale through said opening. The pad fits snugly over the foreheadand conforms thereto by virtue of the dart stitching 2 and conforms tothe shape of the chin by virtue of dart stitching 8 and extends inwardlyl to the neck line where it is attached to an extension piece 9 whichgoes around the neck of the patient. The pad is held in place by tapesIn which tie in back of the head and neck.

The heating pad is thus shaped to conform to the contour of the surfaceof the skin to be treated and is maintained at all times in closeassociation therewith.

The pad includes an outer layer ll of heavy flannel stitched at itsedges l2 to an intermediate layer of cambric l3 and a layer l4 ofsurgical silk on the inner face of the pad. The space between the layerof cambric l3 and the heavy flannel ll contains wire heating elements,which wires are covered with the usual asbestos cov- I ering, and aredistributed over the face and neck portion of the pad in predeterminedarrangement as to number, spacing and resistance so as to provide auniform heating of the surface with which the pad is brought intocontact. The heating elements are also so arranged as to provide asuitable temperature, usually between F. and 140 F. and, preferably inthe neighborhood of F.

Although the above arrangement of materials comprising the pad is to bepreferred, any suitable pad structure which conforms closely to thecontours of the surface of the skin to be treated and which providesinsulation for the heating element may be used. It is, of course, highlydesirable if the pad is to be reused that the inner surface be composedof an oil impervious material such as the surgical silk above mentioned.

Heating pads l5 and I6 are similar to the pad just described except asto plan configuration and certain other details which will be pointedout hereinafter and are provided for each hand of the patient fortreatment to the back of each hand (but not the palms). These pads l5and I6 are preferably in the shape of mittens, the heating side of eachcontaining an outer layer I I of heavy flannel, an intermediate layer l3of cambric, and an inner layer M of surgical silk. As before, the spacebetween the flannel II and .the cambric l3 contains heating coils I!which likewise are arranged as to space, number, and heatingcharacteristics to provide a suitable temperature preferably in theneighborhood of If desired, these pads l5 and 16 may con tain asecond'layer of surgical silk, here designated as It, to form with theinside layer of surgical silk a pocket IQ for the reception of the hand20 of the patient, the palm of the hand facing the layer l8 and the backof the hand facing the pad proper.

Any suitable or convenient electrical circuit for energizing the heatingelements of the pad may be used. Thus an electrical cord 2|, providedwith the usual plug 22, may be connected through main branch 23 to thehead and neck pad and through branches 24 and 25 to hand pads l5 and IEto energize the heating elements of the pads. Simple switches 26, 21 and28 are provided in the branches 24, 23 and 25, respectively, so that anyone of the pads may be connected or disconnected without interferingwith the operation of either or both of the other two pads.

To permit an application of the wax or other medicament in the moltenform to the skin of a patient without causing extreme discomfort, it ishighly desirable that the melting point of the wax be reduced. Thisresult may be achieved by mixing with the wax another substance miscibletherewith which possesses a melting point lower than that of the wax.Thus an oil which is liquid at normal temperatures may be mixed with thewax in a proportion which will produce a final composition having adesirable melting point. Any of a number of oils are suitable for thispurpose. For example, mineral oil or cocoanut oil may be used.

I have found that a very satisfactory composition consists of a mixtureof one pound of paraffin wax with two ounces of cocoanut oil and twoounces of mineral oil. The ingredients are melted together andthoroughly mixed, whereupon they are ready for application to the skin.This composition has a melting point of about 120 F. and may be readilyused without discomfort to the patient.

The wax composition is preferably applied to the skin by means of thinwhite cloths 29 and 30 adapted for use with the face and hands of thepatient respectively. These cloths may be of absorbent material and maybe treated with the wax composition to deposit a substantially uniformlayer of wax thereon. If desired, any suitable sheet material which willserve as a carrier for the wax composition may be used instead of thecloths herein shown. The wax composition is preferably applied to thecloths 29 and 30 by immersing the same in a molten or liquid bath of thecomposition. By such immersion the cloths will become impregnated orsaturated with the composition. After immersion the cloths may be spreadon a non-porous fiat surface, where they are permitted to dry andharden, after which they are ready for use.

The wax composition should have a melting point substantially above bodytemperature in order that the patient may obtain the beneficial effectsof the treatment. However, I prefer that the composition melt below thetemperature of since contact with the skin of a higher melting substancein the liquid form, if maintained for any substantial period of time,would cause great discomfort to the patient. I find that a melting pointof approximately 120 is desirable, but this temperature may, of course,be varied within the range set forth.

In operation, the wax is mixed with the melting point depressing oil toproduce the medicament mixture and then applied to the sheet material orcloths 29 and 30 which are used for the application. The cloths are thenpermitted to cool to solidify the wax composition.

When a treatment is to be given, the cloths 29 and 30, impregnated withthe wax composition, are placed upon the skin of the patient, theheating pad is then superimposed over these cloths and adiusted intotightly fitting position. The next step is to raise the temperature ofthe pad by energizing the heating elements to cause the wax compositionto liquefy. It is important that the pad shall act to uniformly raisethe temperature throughout its surface. The pad may then be maintainedin position at the desired temperature for from 10 to 20 minutes or anyother desired period of time. The heavy fiannel used in the pad preventsloss of heat, and

the surgical silk protects the wiring from the melted wax. After thetreatment, the surgical silk is easily cleaned with alcohol.

' By using my method and providing the aforesaid apparatus which is sodesigned as to uniformly distribute the heat over the skin to be treatedand to apply such heat uniformly at the exact temperature necessary toliquefy the paraffin in the pieces 29 and 30, the danger of excess heatis avoided in any particular place and a minimum heat discomfortresults.

Although I have described my improved method and apparatus in connectionwith the application of liquefied wax to the skin of a patient, it willbe apparent that they may be readily adapted for use with othermedicaments and are particularly useful in the application to the skinof low melting medicaments which are normally solid at bodytemperatures.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationfor an im rovement in method and apparatus for treating the skin, filedAu ust 3. 1937, Serial No. 157,178.

While there are shown and described certain embodiments of theinvention, it is to be understood that it is capable of manymodifications. Chan es. therefore, in the construction and arrangementmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is intended to claimall novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as permissible. in viewof the prior art.

I claim:

1. A method of treating the skin, which comprises applying to a sheet ofabsorbent material a low melting medicament, normally solid at bodytemperatures, said medicament being in the molten state, to impregnatesaid sheet with said medicament, cooling said sheet to solidify saidmedicai'nent, placing said impregnated sheet on the skin to be treated,superimposing over said sheet a heating pad shaped to conform to thecontours of the surface of the skin, to liquefy said medicament.

2. A skin treating medicament of the character described, whichcomprises a mixture of approximately paraffin wax with approximately 10%of cocoanut oil and 10% of mineral oil.

3. A method of treating the skin, which comprises impregnating a sheetof absorbent material with a, molten medicament comprising wax mixedwith oil in a proportion suitable to produce a composition meltingbetween F. and F., cooling said sheet to a temperature below 120 F. tosolidify said medicament, placing said sheet on the skin to be treated,said sheet being substantially co-extensive with the surface of the skinto be treated, superimposing over said sheet a heating pad adapted toconform to the contours of the surface of the skin, and heating said padto liquefy said medicament.

4. A method of treating the skin, which comprises applying to a sheet ofabsorbent material a low melting molten medicament normally solid atbody temperatures to impregnate said sheet and heating said pad withsaid medicament, cooling the sheet to a temperature below the meltingpoint of said medicament to solidify the medicament, applying saidimpregnated sheet to the skin to be treated, placing a heating pad incontact with said sheet, and heating said pad to liquefy saidmedicament.

5. A method of treating the skin, which comprises heating a medicamentnormally solid at body temperatures to a temperature above the meltingpoint thereof to liquefy the same, applying the molten liquefiedmedicament to a sheet of material, cooling said sheet to a temperaturebelow the melting point of the medicament to solidify the medicamentthereon, placing the sheet on the skin to be treated, heating the sameto a temperature above the melting point of the medicament to liquefythe medicament, and maintaining said medicament in liquid form incontact with the skin for a substantial period of time.

WILLIAM H. DE ST. CYR.

